Hall of fame inductees

This Friday sees the induction of 3 further legends into the Hall of Fame in the shape of Jackie Fennell, Les Tonks and Keith Bell.

I will be hosting the event on Friday and have been looking into the careers of the 3 players. Information has not been that easy to come by so I thought i'd post on here and ask the Rovers fans to recollect their fondest memories of these players.

Any stories and memories of career highlights would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help and I hope you can make it to the event. It should be a good night with plenty of entertainment and a 3 course meal for just £20.

Further information on the event can be found on the official club website. The link is here:-

This Friday sees the induction of 3 further legends into the Hall of Fame in the shape of Jackie Fennell, Les Tonks and Keith Bell.

I will be hosting the event on Friday and have been looking into the careers of the 3 players. Information has not been that easy to come by so I thought i'd post on here and ask the Rovers fans to recollect their fondest memories of these players.

Any stories and memories of career highlights would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help and I hope you can make it to the event. It should be a good night with plenty of entertainment and a 3 course meal for just £20.

Further information on the event can be found on the official club website. The link is here:-

I remember Jackie Fennel playing for Featherstone Secondary Modern School or the New School as we called it. He played stand -off. In spite of being a talented player he was not taken on board by the Rovers until he played for Bagley's Rec's. He played mainly at full back for the Rovers and had a wonderful technique when faces by a big man of tackling the ball. This meant the tackled player either lost the ball or went down. The only player I ever saw overcome this technique was Woosey of Workington (I think I hahe his name right just from memory) he had done his homework on Jackie and turned his body slightly as Jackie came in for the tackle and bounced him off. He was also an effective stand-off. I still see him on the terraces at match days. Les Tonks of course was the ultimate scummager when scrums were fought for. The formidable propping of Dixon, and Tonks had to be seen to be believed. By the end of a game the oppostion Props had been towed to death. Les suffered for all that pushing and I saw him in Bridlington some time ago on two sticks. I ahve been told since that he had an operation. Keith Bell of course wasan integral part of Thompson, Bridges, Farrer, Smith, Stone, and Bell. That pack had everything. Brute force, low tackling, scheming and ball handling. Keith who we see around the ground still was a very under rated ball handler and schemer. Happy days. Writing this has brought back a lot of memories.

This Friday sees the induction of 3 further legends into the Hall of Fame in the shape of Jackie Fennell, Les Tonks and Keith Bell.

I will be hosting the event on Friday and have been looking into the careers of the 3 players. Information has not been that easy to come by so I thought i'd post on here and ask the Rovers fans to recollect their fondest memories of these players.

Any stories and memories of career highlights would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help and I hope you can make it to the event. It should be a good night with plenty of entertainment and a 3 course meal for just £20.

Further information on the event can be found on the official club website. The link is here:-

Further to what I have said. I am hoping to be there on Friday night. Could you please let me know: what time it starts, can we pay on the door, what the dress code is? Bev has my name as a potential attendee. The only thing that will preclude me going is if I am not well enough. Colin Smith.

I remember Jackie Fennel playing for Featherstone Secondary Modern School or the New School as we called it. He played stand -off. In spite of being a talented player he was not taken on board by the Rovers until he played for Bagley's Rec's. He played mainly at full back for the Rovers and had a wonderful technique when faces by a big man of tackling the ball. This meant the tackled player either lost the ball or went down. The only player I ever saw overcome this technique was Woosey of Workington (I think I hahe his name right just from memory) he had done his homework on Jackie and turned his body slightly as Jackie came in for the tackle and bounced him off. He was also an effective stand-off. I still see him on the terraces at match days. Les Tonks of course was the ultimate scummager when scrums were fought for. The formidable propping of Dixon, and Tonks had to be seen to be believed. By the end of a game the oppostion Props had been towed to death. Les suffered for all that pushing and I saw him in Bridlington some time ago on two sticks. I ahve been told since that he had an operation. Keith Bell of course wasan integral part of Thompson, Bridges, Farrer, Smith, Stone, and Bell. That pack had everything. Brute force, low tackling, scheming and ball handling. Keith who we see around the ground still was a very under rated ball handler and schemer. Happy days. Writing this has brought back a lot of memories.

Glad it stirred some fond memories for you - thanks for sharing them with us. This is just the kind of thing I was hoping to get from the fans.

Further to what I have said. I am hoping to be there on Friday night. Could you please let me know: what time it starts, can we pay on the door, what the dress code is? Bev has my name as a potential attendee. The only thing that will preclude me going is if I am not well enough. Colin Smith.

Hi Colin - i'm not sure of the answers to all your questions. The best bet would be to contact the club tomorrow to clarify these points. I hope you can make it on Friday to what should be a great evening. Thankyou.

i was speaking to Keith Bell a couple of weeks ago, and i said to him, "you're being inducted in to the hall of fame aren't you Keith". "aye" he said. so i said "what did that cost you". qiuck as a flash he replied, "20 years of pain and a new knee". i don't begrudge him the hall of fame for one second. i'll never forget the rollocking he gave to Rod Pethybridge on his debut.

i was speaking to Keith Bell a couple of weeks ago, and i said to him, "you're being inducted in to the hall of fame aren't you Keith". "aye" he said. so i said "what did that cost you". qiuck as a flash he replied, "20 years of pain and a new knee". i don't begrudge him the hall of fame for one second. i'll never forget the rollocking he gave to Rod Pethybridge on his debut.

Really good night last night and was a pleasure to meet the 3 legends along with Peter Fox. Wrote a small press piece up which will hopefully be in the rugby league papers next week. Well done Mark Campbell and the committee at Rovers who organised what was a really good event - the DVD was briliant - think the club are selling them for £5 - well worth buying if you're a Rovers fan.

Got a couple of nice pictures but can't get them on here for some reason (probably cos I aint that bright!). They may be on later if I can figure out how to do it!

Featherstone Rovers inducted three new players into their Hall of Fame at a glittering ceremonial dinner held in the Atrium Suite at the Chris Moyles stadium.

The night was a huge success and guests included Peter Fox, former coach and player, who paid glittering tributes to the new inductees, Jackie Fennell, Les Tonks and Keith Bell.

There were plenty of familiar faces in attendance including former players Jimmy Thompson, Harold Box and Deryck Fox among others. Francis Stephenson, General Manager of Wakefield Wildcats was also present along with Hull FC coach Richard Agar, a former player with the club. Another familiar face on the top table was Daryl Powell the current coach at Rovers.

All three players received standing ovations and a commemorative DVD was shown that included footage from Featherstone’s match against the touring Australians as well as highlights from Challenge Cup finals in which Tonks and Bell played.

Really good night last night and was a pleasure to meet the 3 legends along with Peter Fox. Wrote a small press piece up which will hopefully be in the rugby league papers next week. Well done Mark Campbell and the committee at Rovers who organised what was a really good event - the DVD was briliant - think the club are selling them for £5 - well worth buying if you're a Rovers fan.

Got a couple of nice pictures but can't get them on here for some reason (probably cos I aint that bright!). They may be on later if I can figure out how to do it!

Featherstone Rovers inducted three new players into their Hall of Fame at a glittering ceremonial dinner held in the Atrium Suite at the Chris Moyles stadium.

The night was a huge success and guests included Peter Fox, former coach and player, who paid glittering tributes to the new inductees, Jackie Fennell, Les Tonks and Keith Bell.

There were plenty of familiar faces in attendance including former players Jimmy Thompson, Harold Box and Deryck Fox among others. Francis Stephenson, General Manager of Wakefield Wildcats was also present along with Hull FC coach Richard Agar, a former player with the club. Another familiar face on the top table was Daryl Powell the current coach at Rovers.

All three players received standing ovations and a commemorative DVD was shown that included footage from Featherstone’s match against the touring Australians as well as highlights from Challenge Cup finals in which Tonks and Bell played.

Thanks emmo it was a good night, if all a little before my time! I sometimes wonder, does it take more faith to be a rovers fans when you never knew the glory days?

Thanks for hosting your a funny bloke, thought Jackie was a lovely well mannered good humored chap. Still wouldn't mess with Les Tonks even now!

Thanks emmo it was a good night, if all a little before my time! I sometimes wonder, does it take more faith to be a rovers fans when you never knew the glory days?

Thanks for hosting your a funny bloke, thought Jackie was a lovely well mannered good humored chap. Still wouldn't mess with Les Tonks even now!

My apologies for the people who asked where I was. I have some new tablets for my diabetes and they made me really sick. I understand the alternative is blindness or a leg dropping off so I will have to live with it. Congrats to all who managed to attend what sounds like a great night.

Really good night last night and was a pleasure to meet the 3 legends along with Peter Fox. Wrote a small press piece up which will hopefully be in the rugby league papers next week. Well done Mark Campbell and the committee at Rovers who organised what was a really good event - the DVD was briliant - think the club are selling them for £5 - well worth buying if you're a Rovers fan.

Got a couple of nice pictures but can't get them on here for some reason (probably cos I aint that bright!). They may be on later if I can figure out how to do it!

Featherstone Rovers inducted three new players into their Hall of Fame at a glittering ceremonial dinner held in the Atrium Suite at the Chris Moyles stadium.

The night was a huge success and guests included Peter Fox, former coach and player, who paid glittering tributes to the new inductees, Jackie Fennell, Les Tonks and Keith Bell.

There were plenty of familiar faces in attendance including former players Jimmy Thompson, Harold Box and Deryck Fox among others. Francis Stephenson, General Manager of Wakefield Wildcats was also present along with Hull FC coach Richard Agar, a former player with the club. Another familiar face on the top table was Daryl Powell the current coach at Rovers.

All three players received standing ovations and a commemorative DVD was shown that included footage from Featherstone’s match against the touring Australians as well as highlights from Challenge Cup finals in which Tonks and Bell played.